House votes to repeal alternative energy act, 95-4 - Beckley Register-Herald

CHARLESTON â€" The West Virginia House of Delegates on Thursday passed H.B. 2001, a bill repealing portions of the Alternative and Renewable Energy Portfolio Act. The legislation is the first bill passed by the House of Delegates in the the current session.

The House vote to repeal portions of the act was 95-4. The Senate voted Wednesday 33-0 to repeal portions of the bill.

The House bill was considered and passed out of both the Judiciary Committee chaired by Delegate John Shott, R-Mercer, and the House Energy Committee, chaired by Delegate Wood Ireland, R-Pleasants.

“Today’s passage of this legislation will free our state’s utility industry from a flawed regulatory scheme, help reduce the threat of electricity rate increases and provide greater opportunities for our hardworking coalminers," said House Speaker Tim Armstead, R-Kanawha.

“I am pleased with the repeal of the cap and trade law, we have increased the likelihood that coalminers can return to work and have protected our citizens and businesses from larger electricity rate increases in the future,” said House Judiciary Chairman John Shott, R-Mercer.

“As I stated earlier today, if I were here in the 2009 during the original consideration of this bill, I would have voted against it. We cannot afford to put any ore regulations on coal or any other mining jobs. The EPA has continued to overreach, and it is time to draw a line in the sand and push back against these restrictions,” said Delegate Rupert Phillips Jr., D â€" Logan.

Delegate Josh Nelson, R-Boone, a third-generation coal miner, spoke in support of this bill stating, “A vote against repealing West Virginia’s cap and trade act is the very same thing as handing another coal miner his or her pink slip.”

Bill sponsor, Delegate Marty Gearheart, R-Mercer, stated, “For the past several years, I have asked government officials if the original legislation would result in less coal being mined in our state and if our citizens would pay more for their electricity â€" they have all answered yes to these questions.”

The sponsors of the bill include: Delegate Marty Gearheart, R -Mercer), Delegate Josh Nelson, R-Boone, Delegate Lynne Arvon, R-Raleigh, Delegate Joe Ellington, R-Mercer, Delegate Michael Folk, R-Berkeley, Delegate Brad White, R-Kanawha, Delegate Cindy Frich, R-Monongalia, Delegate Jordan R. Hill, R-Nicholas and Delegate Eric Householder, R-Berkeley.

Original story below:

CHARLESTON â€"The West Virginia House of Delegates on Thursday passed H.B. 2001, a bill repealing portions of the Alternative and Renewable Energy Portfolio Act. The legislation is the first bill passed by the House of Delegates in the the current session.

The House vote to repeal portions of the act was  95-4. The Senate voted Wednesday 33-0 to repeal portions of the bill. 

The House bill was considered and passed out of both the Judiciary Committee chaired by Delegate John Shott, R-Mercer, and the House Energy Committee, chaired by Delegate Wood Ireland, R-Pleasants. 

The sponsors of the bill include: Delegate Marty Gearheart, R -Mercer), Delegate Josh Nelson, R-Boone, Delegate Lynne Arvon, R-Raleigh, Delegate Joe Ellington, R-Mercer, Delegate Michael Folk, R-Berkeley, Delegate Brad White, R-Kanawha, Delegate  Cindy Frich, R-Monongalia, Delegate Jordan R. Hill, R-Nicholas and Delegate Eric Householder, R-Berkeley.